Known methods for optimizing Air conditioning systems involve taking measurements of certain temperatures and pressures of a cooling system and determining if the system needs airflow adjustments or refrigerant added or removed. One significant deficiency to prior art methods is the target temperature split, defined as the target return air dry-bulb temperature minus the target supply air dry-bulb temperature, known look up tables are limited to return air dry-bulb temperatures between 70 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit. For return air dry-bulb temperatures between 60 and 69 degrees Fahrenheit, and return air dry-bulb temperatures between 77 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit, and return air wet-bulb temperatures between 50 and 58 degrees Fahrenheit, the target temperature split is undefined as shown in prior art Table 1. In the upper right corner of Table 1, the target temperature split does not exist since and the return wet-bulb temperature cannot exceed the return dry-bulb temperature and the relative humidity cannot be greater than 100 percent (under atmospheric conditions).
TABLE 1Prior Art Target Temperature SplitReturn Air Wet-Bulb Temperature (° F.)505152535455565758596061626364Return Air 60  Undefined RelativeDry-Bulb61  Humidity CannotTemperature 62 Exceed (° F.)63100%64Undefined Target65Temperature Split666768697020.920.720.620.420.119.919.519.118.718.217.717.216.515.915.27121.421.321.120.920.720.420.119.719.318.818.317.717.116.415.77221.921.821.721.521.220.920.620.219.819.318.818.217.617.016.37322.522.422.222.021.821.521.220.820.319.919.418.818.217.516.87423.022.922.822.622.322.021.721.320.920.419.919.318.718.117.47523.623.523.323.122.922.622.221.921.421.020.419.919.318.617.97624.124.023.923.723.423.122.822.422.021.521.020.419.819.218.57724.624.424.224.023.723.322.922.522.021.521.020.419.719.07824.724.524.223.923.523.122.622.121.520.920.219.57924.824.424.023.623.122.622.121.420.820.18025.024.624.223.723.222.622.021.320.681    Undefined Target25.124.724.223.723.122.521.921.282    Temperature Split25.224.824.223.723.122.421.78325.324.824.223.623.022.38425.925.224.824.223.522.8505152535455565758596061626364Return Air Wet-Bulb Temperature (° F.)656667686970717273747576Return Air6060Dry-Bulb6161Temperature6262(° F.)636364Undefined Relative6465Humidity Cannot6566Exceed 100%6667Undefined 6768Target Temperature Split6869697014.413.712.811.911.010.0707115.014.213.412.511.510.69.5717215.514.713.913.012.111.110.19.0727316.115.314.413.612.611.710.69.68.5737416.615.815.014.113.212.211.210.19.07.8747517.216.415.514.713.712.711.710.79.58.47.2757617.716.916.115.214.313.312.311.210.18.97.76.5767718.317.516.615.714.813.812.811.710.69.58.37.0777818.818.017.216.315.414.413.412.311.210.08.87.6787919.318.517.716.815.914.913.912.811.710.69.48.1798019.919.118.317.416.415.514.413.412.311.19.98.7808120.419.618.817.917.016.015.013.912.811.710.49.2818221.020.219.318.517.516.615.514.513.412.211.09.7828321.520.719.919.018.117.116.115.013.912.711.510.3838422.121.320.419.518.617.616.615.614.413.312.510.884656667686970717273747576
Another significant drawback is the target superheat temperature, defined as the refrigerant suction line temperature minus the refrigerant evaporator saturation temperature, is limited to condenser air dry-bulb temperatures of 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit at return air dry-bulb temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit and condenser air dry-bulb temperature of 115 degrees Fahrenheit at return air dry-bulb temperature of 69 to 76 degrees Fahrenheit. For condenser air dry-bulb temperatures between 65 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit and return air dry-bulb temperatures between 55 and 69 degrees Fahrenheit the target superheat is undefined as shown in prior art Table 2.
TABLE 2Prior Target SuperheatReturn Air Wet-Bulb Temperature (° F.)5051525354555657585960616263Condenser 558.810.111.512.814.215.617.118.52021.523.124.626.227.8Air Dry-Bulb 568.69.911.212.61415.416.818.219.721.222.724.225.727.3Temperature (° F.)578.39.61112.313.715.116.517.919.420.822.323.825.326.8587.99.310.61213.414.816.217.61920.421.923.324.826.3597.58.910.211.61314.415.817.218.62021.422.924.325.76078.49.811.212.61415.416.818.219.62122.423.825.2616.57.99.310.712.113.514.916.317.719.120.521.923.324.76267.48.810.211.713.114.515.917.318.720.121.422.824.2635.36.88.39.711.112.61415.416.818.219.620.922.323.6646.17.69.110.61213.514.916.317.71920.421.723.1655.478.51011.512.914.315.817.118.519.921.222.5666.37.89.310.812.313.815.216.61819.320.722675.57.18.710.211.713.214.61617.418.820.121.4686.389.511.112.61415.516.818.219.520.8695.57.28.810.411.913.414.816.317.61920.3706.48.19.711.212.714.215.71718.419.7715.67.38.910.512.113.61516.417.819.1726.48.19.811.412.914.415.817.218.5735.67.3910.712.213.715.216.617.9746.58.29.911.513.114.515.917.3755.67.49.210.812.413.915.316.7766.68.410.111.713.214.716.1775.77.59.31112.51415.4786.78.510.211.813.414.8795.97.79.511.112.714.2806.98.710.41213.58167.99.711.312.9825.27.18.910.612.2836.38.29.911.6845.57.49.210.9856.68.510.3865.87.89.687578.9886.38.289Undefined Target5.57.590Superheat6.8916.1925.4939495969798991001011021031041051061071081091101111121131141155051525354555657585960616263Return Air Wet-Bulb Temperature (° F.)64656667686970717273747576Condenser 5529.43132.433.835.136.437.73940.241.542.743.94555Air Dry-Bulb 5628.930.531.833.234.635.937.238.539.74142.243.444.656Temperature (° F.)5728.329.931.332.63435.336.73839.240.541.74344.2575827.829.330.732.133.534.836.137.538.74041.342.543.7585927.228.730.131.532.934.335.636.938.339.540.842.143.3596026.628.129.63132.433.735.136.437.839.140.441.642.9606126.127.52930.431.833.234.635.937.338.639.941.242.4616225.52728.429.931.332.734.135.436.838.139.440.74262632526.427.829.330.732.233.634.936.337.73940.341.6636424.425.827.328.730.231.63334.435.837.238.539.941.2646523.825.226.728.229.731.132.533.935.336.738.139.440.8656623.224.626.127.629.130.63233.434.936.337.63940.4666722.724.125.627.128.630.131.53334.435.837.238.639.9676822.123.52526.52829.53132.533.935.336.838.139.5686921.522.924.42627.52930.53233.434.936.337.739.1697020.922.323.925.42728.53031.53334.435.937.338.7707120.321.723.324.926.42829.53132.53435.436.938.3717219.721.222.824.325.927.42930.53233.53536.537.9727319.220.622.223.825.426.928.53031.533.134.63637.5737418.62021.623.224.826.42829.531.132.634.135.637.174751819.421.122.724.325.927.529.130.632.233.735.236.7757617.418.920.522.123.825.42728.630.131.733.334.836.3767716.818.32021.623.224.926.528.129.731.332.834.436777816.217.719.421.122.724.42627.629.230.832.43435.6787915.617.118.820.522.223.825.527.128.830.43233.635.279801516.618.32021.723.32526.728.329.931.633.234.8808114.31617.719.421.122.824.526.227.929.531.232.834.4818213.715.417.218.920.622.32425.727.429.130.732.434828313.114.916.618.420.121.823.525.226.928.630.33233.7838412.514.316.117.819.621.32324.826.528.229.931.633.3848511.913.715.517.31920.822.624.32627.829.531.232.9858611.313.21516.718.520.322.123.825.627.329.130.832.6868710.612.614.416.21819.821.623.425.126.928.730.432.28788101213.915.717.519.321.122.924.726.528.330.131.888899.411.513.315.11718.820.622.424.326.127.929.731.589908.810.912.814.616.518.320.12223.825.627.529.331.190918.110.312.214.115.917.819.721.523.225.227.128.930.891927.59.811.713.515.417.319.221.122.924.826.728.530.492936.89.211.11314.916.818.720.622.524.426.328.230.193946.28.710.612.514.416.318.220.222.12425.927.829.794955.68.1101213.915.817.819.721.623.625.527.429.495967.59.511.413.415.317.319.221.223.225.127.129969778.910.912.914.916.818.820.822.724.726.728.797986.48.410.412.414.416.418.320.322.324.326.328.398995.87.99.911.913.915.917.919.921.9242628991005.37.39.311.413.415.417.519.521.523.625.627.71001016.88.810.912.9151719.121.123.225.327.31011026.28.310.412.414.516.618.620.722.824.9271021035.77.89.911.91416.118.220.322.424.526.71031045.27.29.311.513.615.717.819.922.124.226.31041056.78.81113.115.217.419.521.723.8261051066.28.310.512.614.81719.121.323.525.71061075.77.91012.214.416.618.72123.225.4107108  Undefined5.27.49.511.713.916.118.420.622.825.1108109  Target6.99.111.313.515.71820.222.524.7109110  Superheat6.48.610.813.115.317.619.922.124.41101115.98.110.412.614.917.219.521.824.11111125.47.69.912.214.516.819.121.523.81121137.29.511.814.116.418.821.123.51131146.7911.413.716.118.420.823.21141156.28.610.913.315.718.120.522.911564656667686970717273747576
In many hot and dry climates throughout the world air conditioning is required to cool interior spaces to maintain indoor comfort. In hot and dry climates when technicians diagnose target temperature split for air conditioners or heat pumps in cooling mode and the return air dry-bulb temperature is in the undefined region using prior art methods, it is impossible to obtain target temperature split to diagnose proper airflow. In hot and dry climates when technicians diagnose target superheat for air conditioners or heat pumps in cooling mode with Fixed Expansion Valve (FXV) systems and the condenser air dry-bulb temperature and return air wet-bulb temperature are in the undefined region using prior art methods, it is impossible to obtain target temperature split to diagnose proper refrigerant charge.
Undefined target temperature split and undefined target superheat values cause technicians to improperly diagnose proper temperature split and superheat leading to significant performance problems that can cause the following problems: insufficient airflow, insufficient cooling capacity, liquid refrigerant entering the compressor, excessive mechanical vibration and noise, premature failure of the compressor, reduced energy efficiency performance, and increased electricity consumption.
Further, there are no prior art methods to differentiate non-condensables from over-charge, and restrictions from under-charge, and without this knowledge, refrigerant would be incorrectly removed from systems with non-condensables present, and added to systems with restrictions.
Correcting non-condensables saves electricity by removing air and/or water vapor from the system to improve heat transfer from the condenser and reduce system pressure and operational time which reduces electric power usage and prolongs the life of air conditioners. Correcting restrictions saves electricity by increasing the mass flow of refrigerant to the evaporator which increases cooling capacity, reduces operational time and proportionately reduces electric power usage.
Correcting overcharged systems with improper airflow saves electricity by reducing refrigerant pressure and proportionally reducing electric power usage. It also eliminates problems of liquid refrigerant returning to the compressor causing premature failure. Correcting undercharged air conditioners with improper airflow saves electricity by increasing capacity allowing them to run less which extends the life of the compressor. It also prevents overheating of the compressor and premature failure.